Warmer Kiwi Homes heat pump grants in Queenstown
The government's Warmer Kiwi Homes programme can fund 90% of the cost of a heat pump, up to $3,450 including GST, for eligible homeowners. For a lot of older Queenstown and Wanaka homes that covers most of the bill. Here is how it works, who qualifies, and how to check where you stand.
Warmer Kiwi Homes is a government grant, run by EECA, that funds 90% of the cost of an approved heat pump up to $3,450 including GST for eligible homeowners. To qualify you need to own and live in a home built before 2008 and meet the income or area criteria. For a standard high-wall install, the grant can cover most or all of the price.
It is one of the best ways to take the sting out of the cost of heating an older home, and the Queenstown Lakes has plenty of exactly the housing it was designed for. Below we explain what the grant is, who qualifies, what has changed recently, and how to check, with a link to the official EECA page so you are working from the real rules.
What the grant is
Warmer Kiwi Homes is part of a wider government push to make homes warmer, drier and healthier. The heating grant pays 90% of the cost of an approved, efficient heat pump for a main living area, capped at $3,450 including GST. In practice that means many eligible homeowners pay little or nothing toward a standard high-wall system, and only top up if they choose a larger or premium unit.
It sits alongside the programme's insulation support, and a warm home really starts with both. A heat pump in a well-insulated room is what keeps the running costs down through a long alpine winter.
Who qualifies
Last checked: June 2026. Grant rules change from time to time, so always confirm the current criteria on the official EECA Warmer Kiwi Homes page before you count on it.
As things stand, to be eligible for a heat pump grant you need to tick all of these:
- You own and live in the home. The grant is for owner-occupiers, not rentals.
- The home was built before 2008. Newer homes are not covered.
- You meet the income or area test. That means holding a Community Services Card or a SuperGold Combo Card, or living in a lower-income or higher-need area identified by EECA.
- There is no working fixed heater in the main living area. The grant is for homes without an existing fixed heating source in the living room.
If that sounds like your home, it is well worth checking properly, because the saving is significant.
What changed recently
From 9 January 2026, Warmer Kiwi Homes stopped accepting new applications for wood and pellet burners. Heat pump grants carry on as normal. For most homes around the Lakes that is no loss at all, since a heat pump heats through the cold winters and also cools through the hot, dry summers, which a burner cannot do.
How to check, and what we do
Let us be straight about our part in this. We are not an EECA-registered Warmer Kiwi Homes provider, so we cannot apply the grant to a job ourselves, and choosing us for an install does not make it automatically subsidised. Grant-funded installs are delivered by EECA-registered providers.
What we can do is help you understand the grant and work out whether you are likely to qualify, then point you to the official EECA eligibility checker and registered-provider list so you can go through the proper channel. And if your home does not qualify, or you would rather not wait, we install privately at honest, fixed prices, which you can see on our installation cost guide.
Why it fits older Queenstown homes
The grant targets exactly the kind of housing the Queenstown Lakes has a lot of. Central Queenstown and Arrowtown are full of older timber cottages and ex-rentals built well before 2008, many single-glazed and poorly insulated, that get cold and damp through a long winter. Those are the homes Warmer Kiwi Homes was written for, and a properly sized heat pump transforms how they feel.
If you are weighing it all up, our guide to heat pump installation in Queenstown covers how we size and fit for the cold, and the sizing calculator gives you a quick estimate for your room.
Not sure if your home qualifies?
Check the official criteria at EECA, or give us a call and we will talk you through where you stand and what your options are.
Warmer Kiwi Homes questions
How much is the Warmer Kiwi Homes heat pump grant?
The grant covers 90% of the cost of an approved heat pump, up to a cap of $3,450 including GST, for eligible homeowners. For a standard high-wall install that can cover most or all of the price. Checked June 2026 against EECA.
Who is eligible for Warmer Kiwi Homes?
You need to own and live in a home built before 2008, and either hold a Community Services Card or SuperGold Combo Card or live in a lower-income or higher-need area. The home must not already have a working fixed heater in the main living area. EECA's online checker confirms your specific situation.
Can I still get a grant for a wood or pellet burner?
No. From 9 January 2026, Warmer Kiwi Homes no longer accepts new applications for wood and pellet burners. Heat pump grants continue as normal, which suits most Queenstown homes well since a heat pump handles both the cold winters and the hot, dry summers.
Do you install the grant-funded heat pump?
We are not an EECA-registered Warmer Kiwi Homes provider, so we cannot apply the grant to a job ourselves. Grant-funded installs are delivered by EECA-registered providers. What we can do is explain how the grant works, help you check if you qualify, and point you to EECA's official list. We also install privately at honest prices for homes that do not qualify.
How do I check if I qualify?
The quickest way is the eligibility checker on EECA's official Warmer Kiwi Homes page. You can also call us and we will talk you through the criteria so you know where you stand before you apply.